Hours from deadline, US Senate to vote to avert shutdown

11 February 2018

It approved the legislation by a bipartisan majority of 71-28, but Paul objected to the fact that the deal would result in a significant increase in the federal budgetdeficit without any corresponding cuts to spending.

At the White House, there appeared to be little sense of concern. However, the procedure can be bypassed with an agreement from all 100 senators - but Paul would not join the gang.

As midnight approached, Paul did not relent, bemoaning from the Senate floor what he saw as out-of-control governmentspending and repeatedly rebuffing attempts by his fellow senators to move ahead with a vote. President Donald Trump signed the bill Friday morning, officially ending the government shutdown. "I didn't come up here to be liked", Mr Paul said.

McConnell gave Paul the opportunity to raise a procedural objection claiming the deal violates Senate budgetary rules, but the libertarian Republican declined the offer and started an hour-long speech against governmentspending.

Meanwhile, many Democrats are also opposing the budget proposal as it does not address the immigration issue nor the protection of the immigrants that arrived illegally during their childhood which expires on March 5. The House was expected to vote in the hours following.

The bill was later passed in the House despite opposition from both Republican and Democratic members.

"Now we have Republicans hand in hand with Democrats offering us trillion-dollar deficits".

"Fiscal responsibility is a moral and national security imperative, but politicians in Washington have voted to spend money they know we don't have, sending the giant, insurmountable tab to our children and grandchildren".

But when it comes time to vote, the House may face many of their own challenges, like conservatives opposing spending increases and democrats holding out for an immigration deal.

The bill also included a one-time emergency influx of about $90 billion to help with ongoing recovery efforts for the hurricanes and wildfires that have hit the U.S.in recent months. "Republicans and Democrats joined together to finally give our troops the resources and our generals the certainty to plan for the future", said House Speaker Paul Ryan.